Notebook computer smart battery recovery and reconditioning mechanism

ABSTRACT

In a method and system for recovering and reconditioning a smart battery, a functionally dead condition of the battery is detected. The battery includes an electronics unit. The electronics unit is operable for controlling an operating condition of the battery. In the functionally dead condition of the battery, the electronics unit becomes inoperable. While in this condition, a current limited trickle charge is provided to the battery such that the path of the trickle charge bypasses the inoperable electronics unit. Upon the battery receiving a sufficient amount of charge, the electronics unit regains control. The electronics unit reconditions the battery by recharging it to a fully charged state.

CROSS-REFERENCE TO RELATED APPLICATIONS

This application claims priority to and is a continuation of co-ownedco-pending U.S. patent application Ser. No. 10/435,920, filed May 12,2003, by Douglas G. MacNair, Jr., et al., entitled NOTEBOOK COMPUTERSMART BATTERY RECOVERY AND RECONDITIONING MECHANISM, which isincorporated herein by reference in its entirety.

BACKGROUND

The present disclosure relates generally to information handlingsystems, and more particularly to techniques for recovering andreconditioning rechargeable batteries commonly used to provide energy toportable information handling system components such as notebookcomputers, personal digital assistants, cellular phones and gamingconsoles.

As the value and use of information continues to increase, individualsand businesses seek additional ways to process and store information.One option available to users is information handling systems. Aninformation handling system generally processes, compiles, stores,and/or communicates information or data for business, personal, or otherpurposes thereby allowing users to take advantage of the value of theinformation. Because technology and information handling needs andrequirements vary between different users or applications, informationhandling systems may also vary regarding what information is handled,how the information is handled, how much information is processed,stored, or communicated, and how quickly and efficiently the informationmay be processed, stored, or communicated. The variations in informationhandling systems allow for information handling systems to be general orconfigured for a specific user or specific use such as financialtransaction processing, airline reservations, enterprise data storage,or global communications. In addition, information handling systems mayinclude a variety of hardware and software components that may beconfigured to process, store, and communicate information and mayinclude one or more computer systems, data storage systems, andnetworking systems.

A battery converts chemical energy within its material constituents intoelectrical energy in the process of discharging. A rechargeable batteryis generally returned to its original charged state (or substantiallyclose to it) by passing an electrical current in the opposite directionto that of the discharge. Presently, well known rechargeable batterytechnologies include Lithium Ion (LiON), Nickel Cadmium (NiCd), andNickel Metal Hydride (NiMH). In the past, the rechargeable batteries(also known as “dumb” batteries) provided an unpredictable source ofpower for the portable devices, because typically, a user of the devicepowered by the battery had no reliable advance warning that the energysupplied by the rechargeable battery was about to run out.

Today, through the development of “smart” or “intelligent” batterypacks, batteries have become a more reliable source of power byproviding information to the information handling system and eventuallyto a user as to the state of charge, as well as a wealth of otherinformation. The “smart rechargeable battery”, which is well known, istypically equipped with electronic circuitry to monitor and control theoperation of the battery. The following U.S. patents, which describevarious aspects of smart batteries, are incorporated herein byreference: Dual Smart Battery Detection System And Method For PortableComputers (U.S. Pat. No. 5,818,200), Increased Battery CapacityUtilizing Multiple Smart Batteries (U.S. Pat. No. 6,262,562), andApparatus And Method Of Providing An Initiation Voltage To ARechargeable Battery System (U.S. Pat. No. 5,568,039).

It is well known that smart batteries monitor internal charge levels andtypically shut down the load coupled to them when they can no longerprovide the minimum power required to operate the load. Upon discharge,the user typically restores the charge level of the smart battery duringa recharge process. Many smart batteries, however, are often dischargedto the point of not having enough charge to keep the “smart” technologybuilt into the battery in an operational condition. When such acondition occurs, the batteries are typically described as beingfunctionally dead. For example, it is common practice to store smartbatteries for later use, e.g., as spare inventory. By simply storing thesmart battery on a shelf for several months the smart battery continuesto discharge and eventually becomes functionally dead. The user if oftensurprised to find out that a new battery that was stored on the shelffor an extended period of time is not operable. The user typicallydiscards the dead battery in accordance with proper recycling proceduresor sends it to the manufacturer for a new replacement.

Therefore, a need exists to provide a method and system for recoveringand reconditioning a smart battery, which is functionally dead.Accordingly, it would be desirable to provide for recovering andreconditioning rechargeable batteries included in an informationhandling system absent the disadvantages found in the prior methodsdiscussed above.

SUMMARY

The foregoing need is addressed by the teachings of the presentdisclosure, which relates to a system and method for recovering andreconditioning a smart battery. According to one embodiment, in a methodfor recovering and reconditioning a smart battery, a functionally deadcondition of the battery is detected. The battery includes anelectronics unit being operable for controlling an operating conditionof the battery. In the functionally dead condition of the battery, theelectronics unit becomes inoperable. While in this condition, a currentlimited trickle charge is provided to the battery such that the path ofthe trickle charge bypasses the inoperable electronics unit. Upon thebattery receiving a sufficient amount of charge, the electronics unitregains control. The electronics unit reconditions the battery byrecharging it to a fully charged state.

In one embodiment, an apparatus for recovering a smart battery includesa detector component, a bypass component, and a recovery component. Thesmart battery includes an electronics unit for controlling an operatingcondition of the battery. The detector component coupled to the batteryis operable to detect the electronics unit being inoperable, resultingin a functionally dead battery. The bypass component is operable tobypass the electronics unit responsive to the electronics unit beinginoperable. The bypass component is operable to pass through a chargereceived to the battery responsive to the electronics unit beingbypassed. The recovery component, which is coupled to the battery, thedetector component and the bypass component, is operable to provide thecharge to the bypass component in response the detector componentdetecting the electronics unit to be inoperable.

In another embodiment, a smart battery having a pair of terminalsincludes at least one rechargeable battery cell operable to storeenergy, an electronics unit coupled to the at least one cell and thepair of terminals, a charge discharge component coupled to theelectronics unit, the pair of terminals and the at least one cell, and atrickle charge component coupled to the electronics unit, the pair ofterminals and the charge discharge component. The electronics unit isoperable to control an operating condition of the battery. Whereas, whenthe energy stored in the at least one cell is insufficient to operatethe electronics unit, it becomes inoperable. The electronics unitcontrols the charge discharge component to provide a first conductivepath between the pair of terminals and the at least one cell. Thetrickle charge component provides a second conductive path between thepair of terminals and the at least one cell in the event the batterybecomes functionally dead and the electronics unit is no longeroperable.

Several advantages are achieved by the method and system according tothe illustrative embodiments presented herein. The embodimentsadvantageously provide for a cost effective and environmentally friendlymechanism for recovery and reuse of functionally dead batteries.

BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS

FIG. 1 illustrates a diagrammatic representation of a system forrecovering and reconditioning a smart battery, according to anembodiment;

FIG. 2 illustrates more details of current limited charger deviceillustrated in FIG. 1, according to an embodiment;

FIG. 3 illustrates another diagrammatic representation of a system forrecovering and reconditioning a smart battery, according to anembodiment;

FIG. 4 is a flow chart illustrating a method for recovering andreconditioning a smart battery, according to an embodiment; and

FIG. 5 illustrates a block diagram of an information handling system toimplement method or apparatus aspects of the present disclosure,according to an embodiment.

DETAILED DESCRIPTION

Novel features believed characteristic of the present disclosure are setforth in the appended claims. The disclosure itself, however, as well asa preferred mode of use, various objectives and advantages thereof, willbest be understood by reference to the following detailed description ofan illustrative embodiment when read in conjunction with theaccompanying drawings. The functionality of various components describedherein may be implemented as hardware (including circuits) and/orsoftware, depending on the application requirements.

A smart battery may become functionally dead if it is discharged below acertain threshold level. The cost to replace a functionally dead batteryis typically the same as purchasing a new smart battery. There is a needto for a cost effective and environmentally friendly mechanism forrecovery and reuse of functionally dead batteries. According to oneembodiment, in a method for recovering and reconditioning a smartbattery, a functionally dead condition of the battery is detected. Thebattery includes a smart electronics unit. The smart electronics unit isoperable for controlling an operating condition of the battery. In thefunctionally dead condition of the battery, the smart electronicsbecomes inoperable. While in this condition, a current limited tricklecharge is provided to the battery such that the path of the tricklecharge bypasses the inoperable smart electronics. Upon the batteryreceiving a sufficient amount of charge, the smart electronics regainscontrol for controlling the operating condition of the battery. Thesmart electronics reconditions the battery by recharging it to a fullycharged state.

FIG. 1 illustrates a diagrammatic representation of a system forrecovering and reconditioning a smart battery, according to anembodiment. The system for recovering and reconditioning a smart batteryincludes a smart battery 110 for storing energy, a charger component 120included in a portable information handling system device 105 forproviding a charge to the smart battery 110 and a current limitedrecovery component 130 for providing the charge to the smart battery 110during the recovery and reconditioning process.

The smart battery 110 includes at least one rechargeable cell 112 havinga positive terminal 114 and a negative terminal 116. Other cells may bepresent but are not shown. The terminals 114 and 116 are coupled to asmart electronics unit 115. The smart electronics 115 includes batterycharge and control lines 118 for interfacing with external devices suchas the charger component 120 via a connector 108. For example, thebattery charge and control lines 118 may include a Systems Monitor Bus(SM Bus) (not shown), which is widely used in the industry. The batterycharge and control lines 118 may also include a positive terminal 106and negative terminal 107 for receiving or sending the charge. The smartelectronics 115 controls the operating condition of the smart battery110. More specifically, the smart electronics 115 monitors the energylevel of the rechargeable cell 112. When requested, the smartelectronics 115 is operable to provide energy stored in the rechargeablecell 112 to the charger component 120 during a discharge operatingcondition. The smart electronics 115 notifies the charger 120 when theenergy level falls below a predefined threshold level. During a chargeoperating condition, the smart electronics 115 is operable to receive acharge from the charger component 120 and transfer the charge to therechargeable cell 112 when required.

The energy stored in the rechargeable cell 112 is used to provide powerto the smart electronics 115. During a normally discharged operatingcondition of the smart battery 110, there is sufficient power availablewithin the rechargeable cell 112 to continue to provide power to thesmart electronics 115 but not to the load, e.g., portable informationhandling system device 105 via the charger component 120. The smartelectronics 115 remains operable to control the operating condition ofthe smart battery during the normally discharged condition. However,during the functionally dead condition (also referred to as a deepdischarged or critically discharged condition) of the smart battery 110,the rechargeable cell 112 is unable to provide sufficient power to thesmart electronics 115 for it to remain operable. Thus in a functionallydead condition the smart electronics 115 is unable to detect thepresence of the rechargeable cell 112 even though the smart electronics115 is coupled to the terminals 114 and 116. The smart electronics 115being inoperable it is unable to send or receive signals using thebattery charge and control lines 118.

A bypass component 140 is included in the smart battery 110. The bypasscomponent 140 is operable, in response to detecting the functionallydead condition of the battery 110, to bypass the smart electronics 115and provide a direct conductive path to the terminals 114 and 116. Inone embodiment, another pair of terminals, i.e., positive terminal 141and negative terminal 142 are coupled to the corresponding terminals 114and 116 by the direct conductive path provided by a wire or a cable.Thus, a charge applied to terminals 141 and 142 is directly transferredto terminals 114 and 116 of the rechargeable cell 112, therebycompletely bypassing the inoperable smart electronics 115. In oneembodiment, the terminals 141 and 142 of the bypass component 140 may beincorporated into the connector 108 for connecting the charge andcontrol lines 118 but still provide an independent conductive path tothe terminals 114 and 116.

A detector component 122 included in the charger component 120 isoperable to detect whether the smart electronics 115 is operable. Forexample, the detector component 122 monitors signal activity on thecharge and control lines 118 to detect the operating condition of thesmart electronics 115, and hence of the smart battery 110. In oneembodiment, the detector component 122 functions are implemented by aBasic Input Output System BIOS program (not shown). The BIOS program isdefined for the device 105 to detect the operating condition of thebattery 110, e.g., detecting the functionally dead condition. In oneembodiment, the detector component 122 is configured to be executedperiodically and/or on demand.

A current limited recovery component 130 is operable to provide a chargeto the smart battery 110 during the recovery and reconditioning process.In one embodiment, the current limited recovery component 130 isincluded in the charger component 120. In one embodiment, the recoverycomponent 130 is implemented external to the charger component 120. Whenthe detector component 122 included in the charger component 120 detectsthe battery 110 to be functionally dead, it sends a message to therecovery component 130 to provide the charge to the battery 110 usingthe bypass component 140. The recovery component 130 includes a pair ofinput terminals 131 and 132 for receiving inputs from the chargercomponent 120, and a pair of output terminals 135 and 136 for connectingto the corresponding terminals 141 and 142 of the bypass component 140.When instructed, the recovery component 130 generates the charge andtransfers the charge to the bypass component 140 via terminals 141 and142. An amount of charge delivered to the battery 110 is predefined bycontrolling a time interval for the charge. Additional details of therecovery component 130 are described in FIG. 2.

If the battery 110 is faulty and/or defective, the battery 110 will benon-responsive to the charge provided by the recovery component 130during the recovery and reconditioning process. That is, if the batteryis faulty and/or defective, the rechargeable cell 112 will not be ableto store energy that would be sufficient to activate the smartelectronics 115. In such a case, the smart electronics 115 will continueto be inoperable. Thus, if the smart electronics 115 continues to beinoperable after the recovery component 130 delivers a sufficient amountof charge for the predefined time interval then the battery 115operating condition is changed from being functionally dead to anon-recoverable dead condition.

FIG. 2 illustrates additional details of the current limited recoverycomponent 130 illustrated in FIG. 1, according to an embodiment. Therecovery component includes a trickle current generator component 232 togenerate a current limited trickle charge, a timer component 234 to keeptrack of a predefined time interval, and an output component 236 toprovide the charge to the battery 110 via the terminals 141 and 142 ofthe bypass component 140.

A current limited trickle charge mechanism is preferred compared to arapid charge mechanism because a possibility exists that the battery 110may be functionally dead due to a fault condition. For example, thefault condition may be due to the presence of a short in therechargeable cell 112 and/or the smart electronics 115. Use of a rapidcharge mechanism may result in damaging the recovery component 130 whena faulty condition exists. The use of a current limited trickle chargemechanism advantageously limits the charge current to a predefinedvalue. Thus, potential damage caused to the recovery component 130 orother charging component is minimized during the presence of faultyconditions in the battery 110. Additional safety components (not shown)may be incorporated in the recovery component 130 to detect the presenceof faulty conditions and disable the output component 236.

As described earlier, the recovery component 130 includes a pair ofinput terminals 131 and 132 for receiving inputs from the chargercomponent 120, and a pair of output terminals 135 and 136 for connectingto the corresponding terminals 141 and 142 of the bypass component 140.In one embodiment, only one terminal 131 may be used for transferringmessages. Upon receiving an indication from the charger component 120via the terminals 131 and 132, the trickle current generator component232 is operable to generate the current limited trickle charge. Anoutput 233 of the trickle current generator component 232 is provided asan input to the output component 236. The indication in the form of amessage or instruction received from the charger component 120 is alsoprovided as an input to the timer component 234. The predefined value ofthe time interval varies depending on the type of the battery 110. Inone embodiment, for a predefined battery type a predefined value of thetime interval is passed as a parameter in the message or instructionreceived. An output 235 of the timer component 234 is provided asanother input to the output component 236. The output component 236provides the current limited trickle charge for the predefined timeinterval to the bypass component 140 via terminals 141 and 142.

FIG. 3 illustrates another diagrammatic representation of a system forrecovering and reconditioning a smart battery, according to anembodiment. In this embodiment, the mechanism to trickle charge thebattery 110 while the battery is in the functionally dead condition isincluded in the battery 110.

In this embodiment, the battery 110 includes the at least onerechargeable battery cell 112 operable to store energy. Other cells maybe present but are not shown. Battery charge and control lines 118 arecoupled to the battery 110 via the connector 108. As described earlier,in one embodiment, terminals 106 and 107 are included in the connector108. The battery 110 also includes the smart electronics 115, a chargedischarge component 310 operable to provide a first conductive pathbetween the terminals 106 and 107 of the connector 108 and therechargeable cell 112, and a trickle charge component 320 operable toprovide a second conductive path between the terminals 106 and 107 ofthe connector 108 and the rechargeable cell 112, while the smartelectronics 115 is inoperable. The smart electronics 115 measures thecurrent flowing through the battery 110 by measuring a voltage across acurrent sensor resistor 350. The smart electronics 115 communicates withother devices such as device 105 using an SMBus 352 connected viaconnector 108. Also shown is a fuse 354 to protect the battery from overcurrent conditions.

The smart electronics 115 is coupled to the at least one cell 112 andthe pair of terminals 106 and 107. As described earlier, the smartelectronics 115 is inoperable when the energy stored in the cell 112 isinsufficient to operate the smart electronics 115. Thus, the smartelectronics 115 is inoperable when the battery 110 is in thefunctionally dead condition. When operable, the smart electronicsmonitors and controls the various operating conditions of the battery110, such as charging, discharging, ready for charging, ready fordischarging, and faulty. For example, when the energy level of therechargeable cell 112 falls below a threshold level the smartelectronics informs the charger component 120 that the battery 110operating condition is chargeable, i.e., the battery 110 is operable toaccept a charge from the charger component 120.

The charge discharge component 310 is coupled to the smart electronics115, the terminals 106 and 107 and the cell 112. The charge dischargecomponent 310 is operable to provide the first conductive path betweenthe pair of terminals and the cell 112 in response to the smartelectronics 115 being operable. The first conductive path is thus thenormal high current path during normal high current charging and/ordischarging operating condition of the battery 110.

In one embodiment, the charge discharge component 310 includes a firstswitching device 312 coupled to one of the terminals 106 and 107. Thefirst switching device 312 is operable, responsive to a first controlsignal 314 received from the smart electronics 115, to selectivelyswitch on a first portion 311 of the first conductive path to the cell112 from the one of the terminals 106 and 107.

The charge discharge component 310 also includes a second switchingdevice 316 coupled to an output 318 of the first switching device 312and the cell 112. The second switching device 316 is responsive to asecond control signal 319 received from the smart electronics 115 toselectively switch on a second portion 317 of the first conductive path.

In one embodiment, the first and second switching devices 312 and 316are implemented using MOSFET body diodes. The MOSFET body diodes areadvantageously used to minimize the impact of an accidental reverseconnection of the battery 110 or other over-current causing conditions.

The trickle charge component 320 is operable to provide the secondconductive path between the terminals 106 and 107 and the cell 112 inresponse to the smart electronics 115 being inoperable. The secondconductive path is thus the normal limited current path during recoveryof the battery 110 while the battery is in a functionally dead operatingcondition. The functionality provided by the trickle charge component320 is, in many aspects, similar to that of the current limited recoverycomponent 130.

The trickle charge component 320 includes a trickle charge resistor 324connected in series with a third switching device 330. The combinationof the resistor 324 and the third switching device 330 is in parallel tothe first switching device 312. The trickle charge resistor 324 iscoupled to one of the terminals 106 and 107. The third switching device330 is coupled to the resistor 324, and an input of the second switchingdevice 316, which is the same as the output 318 of the first switchingdevice 312. The third switching device 330 is responsive to a thirdcontrol signal 328 received from the smart electronics 115 just prior toa shutdown condition of the smart electronics 115, to selectively switchon a first portion 332 of the second conductive path when the smartelectronics 115 becomes inoperable. A second portion of the secondconductive path includes the second portion 317 of the first conductivepath. Thus, upon the smart electronics 115 being inoperable, the thirdswitching device 330 and the second switching device enter a ‘latchclosed’ state to enable the second conductive path.

FIG. 4 is a flow chart illustrating a method for recovering andreconditioning a smart battery, according to an embodiment. In step 410,the battery 110 is detected to be in a functionally dead operatingcondition. In step 420, the battery 110, more specifically the cell 112,acquires a charge from the recovery component 130 described in FIGS. 1and 2 or the trickle charge component 320 described in FIG. 3. In step430, the charge acquired by the cell 112 is sufficient to activate thesmart electronics 115. Thus, upon receiving the sufficient charge thesmart electronics 115 is operable.

In step 440, in response to the smart electronics 115 being operable,the smart electronics 115 changes the operating condition of the battery110 from being functionally dead to operable. In step 450, the detectorcomponent 122 of the charger component 120 detects that the smartelectronics 115 is operable. As described earlier, in one embodiment, aBIOS program executing in the device 105 may implement the detectorcomponent 122. In step 460, the smart electronics 115 informs the BIOSprogram that the battery 110 operating condition is chargeable. That is,the battery 110 is operable to receive a charge.

In step 470, the trickle charge path is disabled and the normal highcurrent charge path is enabled. For example, the BIOS program includedin the charger component 120 shuts off the alternate trickle chargecurrent provided by the recovery component 130 described in FIGS. 2 and3. In step 480, the battery 110 is reconditioned under the control ofthe smart electronics 115 by charging the cell 112 to a fully chargedoperating condition. Various steps described above may be added,omitted, combined, altered, or performed in different orders.

FIG. 5 illustrates a block diagram of an information handling system toimplement method or apparatus aspects of the present disclosure,according to an embodiment. For purposes of this disclosure, aninformation handling system 500 may include any instrumentality oraggregate of instrumentalities operable to compute, classify, process,transmit, receive, retrieve, originate, switch, store, display,manifest, detect, record, reproduce, handle, or utilize any form ofinformation, intelligence, or data for business, scientific, control, orother purposes. For example, the information handling system 500 may bea personal computer, a network storage device, or any other suitabledevice and may vary in size, shape, performance, functionality, andprice.

The information handling system 500 may include random access memory(RAM), one or more processing resources such as a central processingunit (CPU) or hardware or software control logic, ROM, and/or othertypes of nonvolatile memory. Additional components of the informationhandling system may include one or more disk drives, one or more networkports for communicating with external devices as well as various inputand output (I/O) devices, such as a keyboard, a mouse, and a videodisplay. The information handling system may also include one or morebuses operable to transmit communications between the various hardwarecomponents.

Referring to FIG. 5, the information handling system 500 includes aprocessor 510, a system random access memory (RAM) 520, a system ROM522, a display device 505, a keyboard 525 and various other input/outputdevices 540. It should be understood that the term “information handlingsystem” is intended to encompass any device having a processor thatexecutes instructions from a memory medium. The information handlingsystem 500 is shown to include a hard disk drive 530 connected to theprocessor 510 although some embodiments may not include the hard diskdrive 530. The processor 510 communicates with the system components viaa bus 550, which includes data, address and control lines. Acommunications device (not shown) may also be connected to the bus 550to enable information exchange between the system 500 and other devices.

In one embodiment, the information handling system 500 may be used toimplement the portable information handling system device 105 describedin FIG. 1. The battery 110 (not shown) may be configured to providepower to the information handling system 500.

The processor 510 is operable to execute the computing instructionsand/or operations of the information handling system 500. The memorymedium, e.g., RAM 520, preferably stores instructions (also known as a“software program”) for implementing various embodiments of a method inaccordance with the present disclosure. In various embodiments the oneor more software programs are implemented in various ways, includingprocedure-based techniques, component-based techniques, and/orobject-oriented techniques, among others. Specific examples includeassembler, C, XML, C++ objects, Java and Microsoft Foundation Classes(MFC). For example, in one embodiment, the BIOS program described inFIG. 2 may be implemented using an assembler language code.

Although illustrative embodiments have been shown and described, a widerange of modification, change and substitution is contemplated in theforegoing disclosure and in some instances, some features of theembodiments may be employed without a corresponding use of otherfeatures. Accordingly, it is appropriate that the appended claims beconstrued broadly and in a manner consistent with the scope of theembodiments disclosed herein.

1. In an information handling system, a method for recovering a smartbattery, the battery providing energy to at least one component of theinformation handling system, the method comprising: detecting afunctionally dead condition of the battery, wherein the battery includesan electronics unit for controlling an operating condition of thebattery, wherein electronics unit is inoperable while the battery is inthe dead condition; providing a charge to the battery, wherein thecharge bypasses the electronics unit; and detecting a change in theoperating condition of the battery, wherein the change is caused by theelectronics unit being operable.
 2. The method of claim 1, wherein thecharge is provided for a predefined time interval.
 3. The method ofclaim 2, wherein a sufficient amount of the charge is provided uponexpiration of the time interval to cause the change in the operatingcondition from the dead condition to an operable condition.
 4. Themethod of claim 1, wherein a sufficient amount of the charge causes theelectronics unit to change the operating condition of the battery fromthe dead condition to an operable condition, the electronics unitincluding battery charge and control lines interfacing with externaldevices.
 5. The method of claim 4, comprising: identifying the batteryto be in a non-recoverable dead condition when the battery continues tobe in the dead condition upon the battery receiving the sufficientamount of the charge.
 6. The method of claim 1, wherein the detectingthe change comprises: activating the electronics unit in response to thebattery receiving a sufficient amount of the charge, the activation ofthe electronics unit causing the electronics unit to change from beinginoperable to being operable; changing the operating condition of thebattery from the dead condition to an operable condition in response tothe electronics unit being operable; the at least one componentdetecting the electronics unit being operable; and the at least onecomponent disabling the charge bypassing the electronics unit andtransferring charge control to the electronics unit in response todetecting the electronics unit being operable.
 7. The method of claim 1,wherein the charge is a trickle charge, wherein the trickle charge iscurrent limited.
 8. The method of claim 1, wherein detecting the deadcondition of the battery includes detecting the electronics unit isinoperable, wherein the electronics unit being inoperable prevents thebattery from receiving the charge.
 9. The method of claim 1, wherein theelectronics unit is operable to recondition the battery by charging thebattery to a fully charged condition.
 10. The method of claim 1, whereinthe at least one component is a portable device.
 11. The method of claim10, wherein the detecting of the functionally dead condition isperformed by a BIOS program of the at least one component.
 12. Themethod of claim 1, wherein the detecting the change occurs in responseto the electronics unit changing the operating condition of the batteryor upon expiration of a predefined time interval for charging thebattery whichever occurs first.
 13. An apparatus for recovering a smartbattery, the apparatus comprising: a bypass component coupled to thebattery, wherein the battery includes an electronics unit forcontrolling an operating condition of the battery, wherein the bypasscomponent is operable to bypass the electronics unit responsive to theelectronics unit being inoperable, wherein the bypass component isoperable to pass through a charge to the battery responsive to theelectronics unit being bypassed; a detector component coupled to thebattery, the detector component being operable to detect the electronicsunit being inoperable; and a recovery component coupled to the battery,the detector component and the bypass component, the recovery componentbeing operable to provide the charge to the bypass component in responsethe detector component detecting the electronics unit to be inoperable.14. The apparatus of claim 13, wherein the recovery component comprises:a trickle current generator component to generate the charge, the chargebeing a current limited trickle charge; a timer component to keep trackof a predefined time interval; and an output component to provide thecharge to the battery through the bypass component.
 15. A smart batteryhaving a pair of terminals, the battery comprising: at least onerechargeable battery cell operable to store energy; an electronics unitcoupled to the at least one cell and the pair of terminals, theelectronics unit being operable to control an operating condition of thebattery, the electronics unit being inoperable when the energy stored inthe at least one cell is insufficient to operate the electronics unit; acharge discharge component coupled to the electronics unit, the pair ofterminals and the at least one cell, the charge discharge componentbeing operable to provide a first conductive path between the pair ofterminals and the at least one cell in response to the electronics unitbeing operable; and a trickle charge component coupled to theelectronics unit, the pair of terminals and the charge dischargecomponent, the trickle charge component being operable to provide asecond conductive path between the pair of terminals and the at leastone cell in response to the electronics unit being inoperable.
 16. Thebattery of claim 15, wherein the charge discharge component includes: afirst switching device coupled to one of the pair of terminals andoperable, responsive to a first control signal received from theelectronics unit, to selectively switch on a first portion of the firstconductive path to the at least one cell from the pair of terminals; anda second switching device coupled to an output of the first switchingdevice and the at least one cell, responsive to a second control signalreceived from the electronics unit, to selectively switch on a secondportion of the first conductive path.
 17. The battery of claim 16,wherein the second portion of the first conductive path is switched onwhen the electronics unit is inoperable.
 18. The battery of claim 16,wherein the trickle charge component includes: a resistor device coupledto the one of the pair of terminals; and a third switching devicecoupled to the resistor device and an input of the second switchingdevice, responsive to a third control signal received from theelectronics unit, to selectively switch on a first portion of the secondconductive path when the electronics unit becomes inoperable.
 19. Thebattery of claim 16, wherein a second portion of the second conductivepath includes the second portion of the first conductive path.
 20. Aninformation handling system comprising: a processor; a system bus; amemory coupled to the processor through the system bus; a smart batteryoperable to provide power to the processor, the bus and the memory; andwherein the processor is operable for: detecting a functionally deadcondition of the battery, wherein the battery includes an electronicsunit for controlling an operating condition of the battery, wherein theelectronics unit is inoperable while the battery is in the deadcondition; providing a charge to the battery, wherein the chargebypasses the electronics unit; and detecting a change in the operatingcondition of the battery, wherein the change is caused by theelectronics unit being operable.